BRICS countries in close communication to hold foreign ministers meet: China

Beijing: China on Friday said the BRICS nations are in close communication to hold their foreign ministers meeting in Russia in September.

BRICS is the acronym coined for an association of five major emerging national economies -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Asked whether Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi would attend the meeting, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a media briefing that the coronavirus pandemic is still spreading in the world and all the BRICS countries face a common challenge while fighting the virus at home.

The five countries promote practical cooperation and held events and meetings through flexible ways to keep up the momentum for BRICS cooperation, he said.

"China fully supports Russia's work as the BRICS Presidency this year. We hope that under its leadership, BRICS countries will work together for new progress. According to Russia's arrangement, the BRICS countries foreign ministers meeting will be held in September and all parties are in close communication regarding this arrangement," Wang said.

He noted that the international situation at present is "very complicated".

"China hopes to discuss with other parties prominent challenges facing the world and prepare for the leaders meeting at the upcoming foreign ministers' meeting," the minister said.

Wang said Wednesday's virtual BRICS 10th Economic and Trade Ministers' meeting was successfully held with a joint communique and a joint statement on the multilateral trading regime and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) reform.

The five ministers believe that in face of mounting downward economic pressure, BRICS should work together and enhance cooperation in supply chain and value chain, uphold the multilateral trading regime, avoid protectionism, unilateralism and support necessary WTO reforms and safeguard developing members' rights and interests, he said.

"All BRICS countries are emerging markets and major developing countries with global influence. At present, the five countries by upholding the BRICS spirit of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation and enhancing cooperation in trade will not only boost economic recovery at home but will also contribute to the operation of global industrial chain and supply chains and contribute to the global economic recovery at an early date," Wang said.